How do people learn in groups?

Main Point #1: Collaborative learning engages students in the construction of shared meaning helps advance the learning of disciplinary knowledge and understanding.
  • Supporting details:
    • The aim is to build communal knowledge through conversation
    • Interdependence is highlighted, little emphasis on group rewards to ensure cooperation

Main point # 2: Technologies increase opportunities for conversation
  • Supporting Details:
    • Experience indicates that students who do not typically participate in classroom conversations will participate in a computer based conversation
    • Conversations can take place in the context of digital artifacts
    • Conversations can be stored, reflected on and reacted to which creates a common knowledge base
Conclusion:
  • Peer learning can be a powerful tool, but it is not perfect.
  • Results can be positive when close attention is paid to norms, tasks, mix of participants, and their skills and methods to ensure accountability.